1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for removing posts embedded in the ground, i.e., a post puller.
2. Background of the Invention
In locations where large areas of land are enclosed, fencing becomes an economically significant investment. It is often necessary to move or replace these fence lines and when this occurs, the fence posts embedded in the ground must be removed or destroyed. Destroying fence posts results in waste. Removing posts is both expensive and time consuming. Previous methods for dealing with this problem have included bending or cutting the post at ground level, hoisting or pulling the post with various types of machinery, or digging out the post. All of these methods are wasteful, with respect to time or money or both. It would be desirable to have a portable and rugged device which not only is capable of quickly and easily removing fence posts from the ground, but also is operable in such a manner as to allow the post to be used again.
3. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art post pullers are well known as will be appreciated from the discussion of the prior art hereinbelow, but these prior art devices have proven to be time consuming in operation and rather delicate in construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,726, issued to L. R. Lundgren et al. on Jan. 15, 1957, discloses a post removing device which has a triangular base supporting an elongated handle and a pivotable C-shaped head. The head has a slidably adjustable lower jaw portion, with the remainder of the head being constructed of a single piece of relatively thin metal which is twisted to form the pivot point. The head is attached to the handle at only one point, resulting in the entirety of the stress being applied to that point. The overall construction of the device, including a relatively lightweight support frame, implies that its primary use would be for favorable, that is, soft ground conditions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,161,310, issued to M. D. Parker on Jul. 17, 1979, 4,726,565 issued to J. A. Keller on Feb. 23, 1988, 4,738,433, issued to H. Hoff on Apr. 19, 1988, and 5,022,632, issued to M. E. Beideck on Jun. 11, 1991, illustrate post pullers, each in the form of a base supporting a single vertical support member and a handle portion attached to the top of that support member. Each post puller has a slightly different head, but the general concept is an adjustable U-shaped device which engages the post and a removable pin closing the gap formed by the head. The '632 patent also has a variety of interchangeable heads. The '565 patent discloses a spring loaded engaging pin, and the '433 device is unique in that it engages a T type post by accepting the notches of the post into the rear section of the U shaped head and then closing around it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,104, issued to R. A. Wagner on Mar. 31, 1992, shows a post remover which uses an engaging arm to provide leverage to a chain hoist mechanism that attaches to the post at a point superior to the arm.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.